The Ondo State House of Assembly has been urged by the Nigerian civil society organization ACTS For Positive Transformation Initiatives to move quickly to end the current leadership impasse by designating Deputy Governor Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa as acting governor and applying the concept of necessity.
The group voiced concerns about the possible repercussions of endorsing the purported counterfeit of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu's signature in a statement that was made public on Tuesday.
Accepting a falsified letter giving the deputy governor authority, they contended, would create a risky precedent and might impede further legal action against the forgers.
“Accepting a forged letter would confer legitimacy on the forgery and make it difficult to bring the perpetrators to justice,” said Kolawole Johnson, Head of Research and Strategy for ACTS. “We urge immediate action to appoint the deputy governor as acting governor while simultaneously pursuing justice regarding the forgery allegations.”
The statement commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his early advocacy of the philosophy of necessity as well as his current involvement in the situation. They were disappointed, meanwhile, that Babajide Akeredolu's other proposal—a signed letter from Governor Akeredolu himself—was later accepted by the President.
“We believe the President is aware of the Governor’s current health condition and his potential inability to sign any legal documents,” Johnson stated. “Therefore, accepting a forged letter would be unacceptable and could lead to further complications.”
Other options were suggested by the group, such as using an electronic signature or having law enforcement personnel there to observe the signing procedure. They underlined how crucial it is to respect the law and make sure that the transfer of power is transparent.
ACTS For Positive Transformation Initiatives also emphasized how urgently the situation needs to be resolved for the good of Ondo State and the country. They underlined that if the issue is not resolved, there may be more instability and corruption.
